BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to submit the report of the Justice John Michael D’Cunha Commission of Inquiry on the stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium during the RCB victory celebrations, in a sealed cover to the court.
A division bench of Justice Jayant Banerji and Justice Umesh M Adiga passed the order while adjourning the hearing of the petition filed by DNA Entertainment Networks Private Limited to August 7. Alleging that the commission seems to have proceeded in a biased manner, as if it is a fault-finding commission rather than a fact-finding commission, DNA Entertainment Networks moved HC, seeking to quash the report. The commission headed by Justice John Michael D’Cunha, former Karnataka HC judge, probed the June 4 stampede that claimed 11 lives during the RCB celebrations.
Counsel for DNA submitted that the commission has the power to find fault, but does not have the power to recommend action against anybody. However, the commission recommended action against the petitioner. The commission did not follow the principle of natural justice insofar as the petitioner is concerned. Therefore, the court has to stay the report against the petitioner whose reputation is being damaged, he argued.He said it was the state that offered to hold celebrations in front of Vidhana Soudha.
However, the court said procedural aspects and merits of the case can be considered after seeing the report, and adjourned the hearing to August 7, at the request of Advocate-General K Shashikiran Shetty.